Brazilian soccer star on trial for killing lover

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The captain of the Flamengo soccer team that won the Brazilian championship in 2009 is facing trial on charges he kidnapped an ex-girlfriend and had her killed.

The case starting Monday involves goalkeeper Bruno Fernandes and has shocked Brazil and the world of soccer. Fernandes is accused of orchestrating the kidnapping of 25-year-old model Eliza Samudio.

Prosecutors say Samudio was lured to Minas Gerais state with a false promise that the player would assume the paternity of her baby. Investigators say Samudio was held captive in a ranch, killed, quartered and fed to dogs.

The player was already found guilty in Dec. 2010 on separate charges of kidnapping Samudio and trying to force her to abort the child. Samudio levied these accusations before she disappeared in June 2010.

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With the purpose of writing about true crime in an authoritative, fact-based manner, veteran journalists J. J. Maloney and J. Patrick O’Connor launched Crime Magazine in November of 1998. Their goal was to cover all aspects of true crime: Read More